


Best Friends, Forever

by RarePairGremlin



Series: 365 Rarities and Drabbles [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Banter, Childhood Friends, F/M, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Mentions Bullying, first chapter is kid fic, second is future fic, ships in second chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-08 00:03:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20984639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RarePairGremlin/pseuds/RarePairGremlin
Summary: Prompt: YoungHe looked between the group of boys and Bokuto, who was digging their heels into the ground as they wrestled with the bush, trying to yank a branch off. He was giggling, watching Bokuto more than the others after a while. He could hear the other boys from where he stood. The boss and the yellow one, named for their obvious love of the color yellow, they wore the color every day, cheered Bokuto on. The bug lover cackled and cheered for the bush. The one with pretty, wavy hair argued over the logic of fighting with a bush with the tall, serious one. He noticed the last boy of the group standing off to the side looking worried but also amused.With one last grunt and tug Bokuto won, the stick snapping off the bush and sending him tumbling back onto his butt. He gasped, stepping forward in worry as the group nearby cheered. Well, all except the bug lover. They groaned and walked over to the bush, telling it how disappointed they were in its ability to survive.





	Best Friends, Forever

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Chibi Bokuro](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/526214) by @soojaeng_ on twitter. 

> Doing a drabble challenge thing to get in the habit of writing every day. None of them will be edited, so please excuse any typos or errors! A second chapter will be added to this once it's completed, it'll be the group when they're older and meeting up. Worked on this for 2 days so it counts for the 9th and yesterday's drabble XD Just got too long to finish in one day. 
> 
> The link leading to the inspired work is a pic on twitter, you have to click on the link then click on the title 'Chibi Bokuro' to be lead to the tweet.
> 
> [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/RarePairGremlin) | [ My Discord Group, 18+, come chat! ](https://discord.gg/CsX643w) | [ Pillowfort ](https://www.pillowfort.social/RPG) | [ Tumblr ](https://rarepairgremlin.tumblr.com)

Another squealing shriek drew his eyes to the group of kids playing near the swings. He watched them through his hair, legs kicking slowly through the dirt as the swing creaked under his movements. He tilted his head to watch as the loud one jumped on the tall, serious ones back. The taller, serious one easily held the loud one up despite the surprise it had to have been.

The loud one screamed again as they waved the stick around in wild circles above their head. The shortest one flinched and ran away as the loud one pointed the stick forward, their booming demand for the tall, serious one to go ‘forward’ in chase had him giggling into his hand. He flinched as he saw the one he likes to call ‘the boss’, since they always seem to keep everyone from arguing too much, turned to look at him from their hiding place.

Averting his eyes down to his feet he pressed against the dirt with his toes, making the swing move and creak. A dark, heated blush crossed his cheeks at being caught watching them again. It’s been two weeks since he’s started watching them, every day after school until it was supper time and he had to leave. He’s lived here for a month now but used to go to the other park. He can’t go there anymore though, his dad and grandma told him not to after that Daishou kid took his toys and broke them. 

“Hi!” his head shot up as he gasped. His hands shook the chains of the swing and he nearly fell backward. Blinking widely he felt his mouth slowly drop open as he looked up at the loud kid. His blush darkened impossibly as he realized they were in fact talking to him, their bright eyes and wide, toothy grin closer than he’d expected them to be. 

He pushed against the dirt until the swing prevented him from backing away from them. They tilted their head, their spiked hair swaying oddly in the breeze. A giggled rippled through him before he could prevent it, their hair color and eyes added to the tilt of their head reminded him of an owl. When their smile grew wider he bit his lip and lowered his head, eyes watering in embarrassment. 

“Um… H-hi,” he whispered, hoping they’d leave him alone again if he talked to them. It would hurry up the process of them realizing he’s not good with talking, not good at making friends. It was always the same wherever they moved. Someone came to him, they talked to him, he messed up or got too flustered to play right and they’d leave him alone. The meaner ones made fun of him, some got so mean his dad had to get involved. He hated that the most, bugging his dad. His dad had more things to worry about than him not making friends...

“I’m Bokuto!”

He peered up through his hair at them, bowing slightly in greeting as he pushed harder against the swing. Brain wishing he’d picked the jungle gym or the monkey bars to play on today instead of the swings. They were easier to run away from. 

“K-Kuroo… I’m… Kuroo,” he gritted his teeth at his stuttering. He tries so hard not to stutter, even practices with his grandma when he helps her bake, but it doesn’t seem to help when it’s strangers. 

“Hi, Kuroo!” Bokuto jumped in place, face bursting with joy. 

His face relaxed a bit, the heat on his face lessened as he watched them fidget around happily. They seemed unbothered by his quiet responses, they didn’t even appear bothered by his stutters.

“Hi,” he let go of the chains he’s been gripping tightly. Felt the indents of the links on his palms as he brought them in front of him. His thumb rubbed at one of the indents as they stared at each other for a moment, their grin never wavering. His attention was grabbed when someone called out their name. Turning he confirmed it as the boss, the shaggy-haired boy with big eyes waving at them. 

No, he thought, not at them. He’s waving at Bokuto. A pang of sadness washed through him reminding him that he didn’t know the other kids so he couldn’t play. And it would be rude to ask to play...

“Oh!” they pulled his attention back to them as they grabbed his hand. He choked on a gasp as he was pulled away from the swing, his feet crunching over the dirt and rocks as he stumbled to keep up. “Wanna play too!?” they asked even as they kept dragging him.

“I-I’m okay!” he jerked his hand away, pulled it tight against his chest as he blushed over how loud he’d shouted. His feet skidded to a halt just as they stopped, turning to look back at him. He had to step back before he ran into them and his eyes widened again as their whole demeanor changed.

Their blinding happiness dulled into a pout as their shoulders slumped. The stick they held thunked against the ground and he dropped his eyes to stare at it.

“It’s really fun though…” they whispered so softly he barely heard it. He saw their eyes being to water, bottom lip quivering as they asked him if they upset him. 

Shocked, Kuroo waved his hands in front of his as he shook his head back and forth. He stuttered so hard through the denial, trying to push out a simple no from his lips, that he kept sounding out the n without o coming out. They watched him with their sad eyes and shaky pout and he closed his eyes against it. Taking a deep, easy breath in just as Grandma told him to, he willed himself to relax. Counting to 10 in and letting the breath go in a slow whoosh through his nose. 

When he reopened his eyes he twitched when his eyes met Bokuto’s intense gaze. Their face a little less upset, slowly being replaced with curiosity. Feeling awkward Kuroo shuffled on his feet, tightened his hand around the other as he looked away from them before answering.

“Ah, um… O-okay, that s-sounds like f-fun,”

“Really?”

“Mhmm,” he nodded, eyes flicking up to stare at their shirt, not quite ready to meet their eyes again just yet. He barely had time to be amused by their shirt, an image of a dancing volleyball with stick-figure legs and arms, before he was lurched forward into a hug. He grasped desperately into the back of their shirt as he was spun around, his shoes dragging over the ground for a moment as Bokuto began shouting again.

“Wooh!” they spun Kuroo around twice more before abruptly stopping, thrusting him away from them by his shoulders. “Wait!” their eyes darted from their hand to his several times as they kept yelling. “You don’t have a sword!”

It took him a minute for his world to stop spinning, his vision temporarily blurred. His eyes opened and closed in a dazed blink, his mouth following the same speed as he struggled to catch up. The boy in front of him reminding him more of a Pidgey than an owl, he suddenly understood how his pokemon felt after getting hit by a gust attack. 

When he realized they meant a stick, that he needed a stick he tried to assure them he was okay with just watching them play. That he didn’t need to participate, afraid he’d screw up whatever game they had going on.

“Th-that’s okay!”

But Bokuto cut him off with a sharp shake of their head.

“No, you need one too if you’re gonna be a knight!”

Kuroo felt his body relax under their grip as they continued to rant about knights and defeating the wizard who wanted their ship and crew. An amused smile wobbled over his lips as he listened to them, unsure of what to make of the tale they were spinning. Bokuto continued to call him a knight, repeating that he needed a mighty sword while waving their own through the air. The hand on his shoulder wound around his back until their arm was hugging him to their side, their eyes darting around so quickly he was growing dizzy again between watching them. 

“A knight?” he questioned softly, drawing their gaze to him again. He watched as Bokuto’s toothy grin reappeared, he smirked at the sight when he saw the space where a tooth used to be.

“Yeah! I’m a pirate king! Every king needs a knight, even pirate ones!”

“I don’t think… Okay,” his face scrunched up as he tried to follow the logic to their game. Pirates sailed on water. Wouldn’t the salty air and water rust their armor? Not to mention the weight would be useless to sail in… The look of pure joy on their face made him stop himself from questioning it though, asking instead, “Where… Where do I..?”

“Uhm... There! There!” Bokuto released his shoulder, handed him their stick-sword and raced into a bush. He remained where they’d left him, felt the boss’ and taller, serious ones eyes on him as he watched them from the corner of his eyes. He bowed his head so his hair covered them in case they could see him staring back.

He looked between the group of boys and Bokuto, who were digging their heels into the ground as they wrestled with the bush, trying to yank a branch off. He was giggling, watching Bokuto more than the others after a while. He could hear the other boys from where he stood. The boss and the yellow one, named for their obvious love of the color yellow, they wore the color every day, cheered Bokuto on. The bug lover cackled and cheered for the bush. The one with pretty, wavy hair argued over the logic of fighting with a bush with the tall, serious one. He noticed the last boy of the group standing off to the side looking worried but also amused.

With one last grunt and tug, Bokuto won, the stick snapping off the bush and sending him tumbling back onto his butt. He gasped, stepping forward in worry as the group nearby cheered. Well, all except the bug lover. They groaned and walked over to the bush, telling it how disappointed they were in its ability to survive. 

Bokuto rolled until he pushed himself up onto his feet again, face pulled so tight into a smile Kuroo’s face ached just looking at it. They ran over to him, broken stick held high above their head in victory. He watched as they stepped into his personal space, a bit too close for his liking, but he was beginning to accept that that must just be who they are. They bowed to him, holding out the stick, the sword, for him to take. He did, hands shaking and eyes flicking between them and their outstretched hands.

He nearly dropped it when Bokuto jumped up and down shouting, “Whoo! Ok! You have your sword now! Let’s go fight monsters! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

“O-ok!” he didn’t follow them though, as they took off toward the approaching group. He eyed the other boys warily, unsure of what to do now. 

“Guys, guys, guys!” Bokuto giggled as he yelled, skipping up to the tall, serious one and wrapping them in a tackling hug. Like earlier they took his sudden weight with ease, barely moving as Bokuto launched themself on them. 

“Calm down Bokuto, you’re making him nervous,” the boss shot over their shoulder as they offered him a warm smile. He looked long and hard at their face, searching for any signs that they were annoyed about him being invited to play but saw none. A small, soft smile lifted his lips and he felt himself relax as their smile brightened.

“Sorry for him, he just gets excited,” they offered him their hand and he surprised himself by reaching out and taking it without hesitation. It felt warm, safe and he stepped up beside them, much closer than he’d meant to but they didn’t seem to mind. So he didn’t move back.

“I… I can tell,”

“I’m Daichi,” they grinned, pointing their thumb into their chest. He nodded in greeting, lips parting to reply when Bokuto was suddenly by his side again, hanging off the tall, serious boys back.

“He’s Kuroo!”

He flinched at how loud Bokuto’s voice was and shrunk himself against Daichi’s side as he stared at the boy carrying Bokuto. They were terrifying up close. Face blank and mouth turned down in a frown that didn’t seem to waver. He wondered if it was glued in place like that.

“Let him say his own name baka!”

His eyes snapped to the pretty one with wavy hair, saw then place their fists on their hips as they lectured Bokuto. The bug lover stood beside them and he noticed they had a ladybug crawling up their sleeve. He stifled a giggle at the sight, thinking it was adorable that someone who sought out bugs now has a bug crawling over them without them noticing. They looked at him and he bent his head so they wouldn’t see is amusement and get the wrong idea. 

He listened to Bokuto and the pretty boy argue for a minute, glancing up only when he was sure the bug lover wasn’t looking his way anymore.

“Nyeeee!” Bokuto pulled the lid of his eyes down and stuck his tongue out at the other who was beginning to turn red. He stepped behind Daichi, which was pretty effective since they were a good few inches taller than him, as his hand fisting their shirt as he began worrying about a fight breaking out. All because of him. It would be all his fault since he agreed to come play, he butted into their game without really being invited…

A soft squeeze to his hand, which was still being held by Daichi had him looking up at them. They smiled down at him before looking back at the arguing duo. He stared at the side of their face until a stern voice drew his attention away. 

“It is not nice to stick your tongue out at someone,” the scary one spoke up and Kuroo’s mouth fell open in surprise. They couldn’t see Bouto’s face, not with them on their back, so there was no possible way they could have known they stuck their tongue out. Unless… Kuroo’s curiosity flared into life as he realized the boy must be magic. There just wasn’t any other explanation for it.

“Ushichi’s right!” the pretty one declared, crossing their arms across their chest as they glared at Bokuto. A thick silence fell over the group and Kuroo tore his wide, fascinated eyes from the one they called Ushichi. They were all staring at the pretty one, eyes and mouths open wide.

The pretty one shuffled nervously, head whirling around and face turning worried. “What?” They whispered as their arms tightened around them in a protective hug rather than the annoyed stance they’d had going. 

“You just agreed with Ushichi!” the yellow one gasped out dramatically.

“So!?”

“So you need to go home, you’re sick!” bug lover smirked.

“Am not!” the pretty one shot back, arms falling straight out behind them as they leaned into bug lovers space. 

“Am too!”

“Nuh-uh! Iwachan!” pretty boy stomped their feet and looked lie they were one the verge of tears. He glanced up at Daichi’s face, wondering why they weren’t stopping them. He’d nicknamed them the boss since he always saw them making sure everyone played nicely, putting an end to arguments like this. At least that’s what he’s seen. 

“Oikawa has cooties!” bug lover, Iwachan, screamed drawing the eyes of other kids around the playground. 

“No, I don’t!” the pretty one, Oikawa, sniffled. Their eyes were watering and they were glaring at Iwachan through their tears, sniffling noisily.

“Run away! Cooties alert!” Iwachan and the yellow one yelled together as they ran to the bush Bokuto had defeated. Oikawa chased after them, the two laughing and giggling together as they avoided him. 

“Guys this isn’t funny!” Oikawa stomped his foot as he gave up on chasing them once the duo dove behind a rather impressive mountain of sand. Whoever made it had used most of the sand in the turtle-shaped pit. 

“I disagree,” Ushichi replied to Oikawa as they stepped between Oikawa and the two other boys. Iwachan and the yellow one peeked up over the mountain and grinned at Oikawa. 

Oikawa’s cheeks puffed up as his face turned red again. He looked from the duo to Ushichi and screamed in their face, “You suck!”

Everyone except Daichi went quiet again. Daichi finally stepped in and started to talk Oikawa down but Oikawa ignored them as he kept yelling at Ushichi. He watched on, his heart thundering in his chest as his anxiety started building again. The hand holding his tightened and he realized he was shaking.

“That is not a nice thing to say,” Ushichi finally replied, cutting off Oikawa’s long-winded yelling.

“I still said it!” they spat out without hesitation. 

“It does not make it any less mean,”

“So!?” Oikawa was sniffling again, tears dripping down his cheeks. Kuroo felt the urge to go hug him but couldn’t find enough courage to move his feet. Tightly rooted to the safe spot behind Daichi.

“So you should not say that to your friends” Ushichi spoke slow, their voice softer than it had been earlier. He had to lean further around Daichi to confirm that their face was no longer the serious, glued into a frown expression. They genuinely looked hurt by Oikawa’s words. He was torn between which one he wanted to hug more now, not that it mattered as his feet were still too heavy to move.

“You’re not my friend!”

Everyone gasped, even Oikawa who slapped their hands over their mouth. He felt Daichi stiffen, their back bumping the fist still tangled in the back of their shirt. Their hand held his so tightly he winced but didn’t shake it off. He looked away from Oikawa, straightened behind Daichi so he could stare at the back of their neck instead of at the others. The air hanging over them was thick, heavy with tension, anger, and sadness. He wanted to go home...

“Moniwa!”

He accidentally headbutted Daichi’s back as Daichi bent forward, their hand leaving his as their arms wrapped around their stomach. He whispered out an apology but it was drowned out by bursts of rolling laughter. He glanced around confused at everyone, soon piecing together what had happened as he’d been hiding behind Daichi’s back.

“H-hi…I-I mean, yes?” the quiet one, Moniwa, stuttered out. A tipped over bucket held tightly in front of the arguing boys and a soft, knowing smile over their lips. 

Oikawa and Ushichi were standing close enough that when the sand from the pit they stood inside had been poured over their head it covered them both quite effectively. Their expressions were full of shock, staring back at one another as their brains tried to catch up. 

Iwachan and the yellow one, who Iwachan was calling Teru, were leaning against each other for support. Their faces twisted up in unmatched joy, their voices high as they congratulated Moniwa on a job well done.

“That was awesome,” Iwachan wheezed as he high-fived Teru.

“Agreed,” Teru grinned over at Moniwa as their hand met Iwachans. Moniwa flushed and stared down at the bucket, biting back giggles that still fell out.

Bokuto was cackling noisily next to him, slapping his knees as he wheezed heavily. He side-eyed them as he felt his own chest bubbling from building laughter. He released Daichi’s shirt and hugged his leafy sword to his chest, feeling comfortable for the first time since sitting down on that swing. 

Everyone was winding down when Oikawa set them off again. Their face broke out into a grin, turning to a shake of their chest until their were pointing and laughing at Ushichi. 

“You look silly Ushichi!” they giggled, every movement causing a light cascade of sand to fall off them.

“So do you,” Ushichi said, face lighting up in what Kuroo guessed was the closest they’d get to appearing happy. 

He grunted as Bokuto’s arm wound around his shoulders. He looked over at them as they leaned into him, hand clenching their chest as they laughed so hard they had tears in their lashes. He felt his cheeks ache and he realized he was smiling so hard, so wide that his muscles were protesting. Face unused to the action.

“Guys, Daichi’s not breathing!”

All amusement and wonder died as his attention went back to Daichi at Iwachan’s exclamation. He felt cold was over him as he took in the image of Daichi, still bent over and hugging himself tight. Their face was impossibly red and they noticeably shook.

“Moniwa killed Daichi!” Teru shrieked causing everyone to look at Moniwa.

“I didn’t mean to!” the bucket fell to the sand with a dull thud, Moniwa’s hands shook so bad they just couldn’t hold onto it anymore. “Please don’t die Dai-chi!” they sobbed, a fat tear rolling down their cheek as their face melted with sorrow.

“Iwachan go get mom!” Oikawa ordered pointing in the direction of a group of houses. 

“Okay!” they agreed as their feet was already pounding against the ground in the pointed direction. However, they spun around and ran back panting out in a scared, rushed voice, “... Yours or mine!?”

“Both!” Oikawa cried waving his arms and creating a cloud of sand around him.

“Hee, hahaha, I’m… Fine… Guys… I-” “I’m… Okay… Really!” Daichi gasped out, drawing tight breaths into their lungs as the held back laughter broke through. Kuroo and Bokuto breathed a sigh of relief and used each other for support as Daichi began regaining color to his face that wasn’t a red-blue. 

Moniwa wailed as Teru came around the sand mountain to hug him. Oikawa patted their shoulder looking awkward as he did it, glancing around as if unsure what to do. Ushichi looked more unsure as he openly stared at Moniwa, covered in sand and standing so straight he could pass as a statue.

“Moniwa, he’s okay. Don’t cry!” Teru leaned Moniwa’s head on his shoulder, rubbing their back as Moniwa babbled into their bright, sunny yellow shirt. 

“I thought I killeded him…” 

“Moniwa, killeded isn’t a word,” Teru teased only to yelp when Moniwa straightened, pouting at them with a wobbly lip. Sucking bac the snot leaking from their nose Moniwa choked on a sob and leaned back into Teru as they cried, “I should have dumped the sand on you too…”

“Daichi breathe!” Iwachan screamed over them when another round of laughter burst through the group. It made Moniwa cry harder since it had Daichi’s face turn red-blue in suppressed, barely wheezing laughs again.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from [ Theunamazingauthor on Tumblr. ](https://theunamazingauthor.tumblr.com/post/171275852669/80-one-word-writing-prompts?is_related_post=1)


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